The Goblet of Fire
by Eternal-Explosionist
Summary: The three magical schools of Europe compete for eternal glory in the form of the Triwizard Tournament. Death Eaters are rising, gathering followers to join Voldemort. Dark times are approaching, threatening everything Marie loves. It's time for bravery. To be the light in terrible darkness...
1. France and Bulgaria

_**Year Four: The Goblet of Fire**_

_The three magical schools of Europe compete for eternal glory in the form of the Triwizard Tournament. Death Eaters are rising, gathering followers to join Voldemort. Dark times are approaching, threatening everything Marie loves. It's time for bravery. To be the light in terrible darkness..._

**Chapter One-France and Bulgaria**

There was a sudden flash of green light and the fourteen year old girl woke up with a start. Her labored breathing sounded especially loud in the quiet house, the rest of the residing family still asleep. She looked about, trying to recognize where she was, skittish and still disoriented. Sweat drenched her and she tugged off her sweater, she had fallen asleep with it on again, and tossed it to the end of her bed. Her heart was still pounding, threatening to beat out of her chest.

She couldn't remember much of the dream, only that there was an old man screaming, a giant snake, and that terrible green light. She doubled over, her head pounding and burning all at once.

_"...As for the protection surrounding Harry Potter, I believe my plan will be effective. All that is needed is a little courage from you, Wormtail, courage you will find unless you wish to feel the full extent of Lord Voldemort's wrath..."_

Scrambling, she ran to the bathroom and dropped to her knees in front of the toilet, gagging. After a few moments of nothing, she tried to calm down, body clammy and shaking. Using the nearby counter as support, she pulled herself upright and stared hard at her reflection, doing her best to settle her strangely frayed nerves.

Marie Rogue's image looked back at her. Distinctively bright green eyes stared, able to be seen despite her long black hair that was a right fright due to her sleeping. Unruly waves and curls, bangs sticking up at weird parts as well as sticking to her skin thanks to the sweat. She was still a thin, petite girl as always, but her angles weren't as sharp, rounding out. Narcissa Malfoy was diligent on making sure the girl was eating at meal times, which was a fair concern to have. Marie had a terrible knack for ignoring her body's needs when she got caught up with school work or whatever trouble she managed to get into that year. No doubt that Draco told his mother, and she was thankful.

The Malfoy family took her in after the trauma that had occurred last summer. She had been hidden at the scene, her guardians fighting. Remus Lupin had missed his potion and transformed into a werewolf without his sense of self. Tess Andrews, Head of the Auror Office of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement (commonly called the Captain, the Head of Defense), she had been fighting back, trying to subdue him without seriously hurting him. Unfortunately, their encounter had taken too long and she had taken too many critical hits. Tess managed to bind Remus, but lost her life in the process, securing Marie's safety within the pantry by placing her failing body as a block in front of the door. Instead of being sent to some home, or pawned off on Tess' Muggle family, the Malfoys stepped in, taking her under their wing.

She truly was grateful.

The sun was coming up, the faint light filtering into the bathroom. Splashing some water on her face to wash away the lingering terror from the dream she took a deep breath and decided to get ready for her day.

Now, it was the summer holiday and as much as Marie liked the Malfoy family, she couldn't help it. She was bored. They were very formal, orderly, and everything had its place. It was a strange kind of quiet living. With Tess, she usually had some strange training she would run through with the girl, such as hiking, obstacles, or other odd events the Captain would promise to be useful later in life. Then with Remus, she worked at the robe shop for a little spare money. Against Draco's protest, she had returned to her post at Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions in Diagon Alley. She loved the hustle and bustle of the wizarding shops, the people that were about and the things she would see.

"I think I would like to run a shop when I'm older," spoke up Marie, sweeping by the door as she glanced out the shop window.

"Really now?" smiled Madame Malkin, dressed in her usual mauve. "And just what would you sell?"

She pondered for a moment, sweeping an already clean spot absently. "I'm not sure. Books? Maybe tea?"

"That sounds lovely. I'll be sure to visit if you ever open a book-tea shop," she promised. The two shared a laugh, the store currently empty. They weren't exactly as busy as the rest of the Alley. Wisecacre's Wizarding Equipment was especially busy as everyone prepared for the Quidditch World Cup that was playing the next day.

"Are you going to watch the World Cup?" asked Madame Malkin, straightening the robes with a smart flick of her wand. "My son's taking his two boys and they've been camping at the site all week."

"Yes," chirped Marie, excitement obvious. "We're leaving early tomorrow. It should be a good match, I think. Ireland's Chasers are very impressive, so I can't wait to see them play in person-and I've heard the only proper way to see their plays is by Omnioculars, when you can slow down their speed!" The older woman gave a soft laugh at her enthusiasm, tucking a white strand of hair away from her eyes. Fishing a delicate watch from her pocket, she opened it with a press of a knob and sighed at the time.

"Well, Marie, I believe that's enough for today," she decided. "We're not very busy, so you may leave." Taking off her apron and placing it on its proper hook, she pulled her messenger body across her body.

"Would you like me to get you a drink or anything, Madame? I'm going over to Flourish and Blotts for a bit, so it wouldn't be any trouble, really," she offered. She smiled at the girl who was growing up to be a young lady. She remembered when she was so small, barely able to reach across the counter, and now she was going into her fourth year at Hogwarts, almost a properly licensed witch.

"That would be lovely, dear. A tea would be fine," she accepted. With a chime of the door's bell, she set out to retrieve the beverage.

It didn't take too long for the errand to be complete and Marie was on her way to the bookstore. She took her time, stopping by other store windows and waving to people she recognized. The noise and chatter of Diagon Alley was always something she enjoyed. She appreciated quiet, living with Remus it was impossible to not appreciate a good quiet spell, but then there was Tess and Diagon Alley, the opposite end of the spectrum. It was gorgeous colors, mismatched awnings, and everyone talked to everyone as if they knew them. She just loved the atmosphere, the warmth. Of course, it got a little out of hand as anything does, but even that couldn't tamper with her fondness.

Flourish and Blotts was the main book shop in Diagon Alley. Marie spent a great deal of time wandering through the mazes of book after she finished working at Madame Malkin's. The door rang a small bell as she stepped inside, waving to the manager who noticed her. She began her usual stroll, fingertips trailing across the spines. Sidestepping a tower of books on the floor, she moved toward the center of the store where they had a display set up for all to see of a newly released book. Curious, Marie picked up the scarlet book, gold ink dashing the cover.

_The Captain: _

_A Biography of Tess Andrews_

Stunned, she almost dropped the book due to her surprise. Upon opening the cover, she was presented with a young photograph of Tess dressed in her usual pinstripe slacks and wearing her oddly heavy Auror coat. It was her proper picture from the Ministry. She was carefully neutral, hands behind her back, shoulders squared and feet set apart. Though there was a certain shine to her blue eyes. That she was not to be trifled with. Forgetting how to breathe, she closed the cover to look for the author's name.

_Written by: Mei Fang_

"E-excuse me," stammered Marie, looking about the display. She found a nearby table where a woman was writing, her head down. "Excuse me, but do you know anything about this author, um, Mei Fang?"

The woman looked up and gave a small smile. She had long ink black hair that fell like silk around her shoulders. Part of it was tied up in a messy, yet exact, bun where a silver pin seemed to keep everything in place. She was a gorgeous oriental woman who regarded her with cool light brown eyes. Marie was suddenly very self conscious of her own rebellious hair.

"Zat would be me," she answered, French accent slipping into her English, "'ow may I 'elp you?"

"Oh, sorry," apologized Marie, cheeks burning pink. "I-I had just noticed your book on the display, and I wanted to ask how you knew Tess?" She arched a brow at the informal title and studied the girl for a moment longer. Soon, a smile graced her features.

"Ah yes, I know exactly who you are," she said. "You are Marie Rogue, yes?"

Marie looked about quickly to see if anyone was noticing the strange event that was occurring. She looked back at the woman, now holding the book to her chest, a little wary.

"Yes, that's me," she answered slowly. "How do you know who I am?" She gave a delicate laugh. With a wave of her hand, she summoned a chair for Marie's side of the table.

"Sit. I suspect we 'ave much to discuss," she offered. Gingerly, Marie took the seat. "I know who you are since Tess spoke of you often. Your eyes are very distinctive."

"She spoke to you about me?" Marie asked, confusion evident. "Did you work together?"

She laughed again, though not impolite. "No, no. We did not work together. We met through ze Tournament, back when we were in school. We 'ave kept in touch since then, of course." The girl's face betrayed her confusion. Mei Fang looked mildly concerned.

"Did she not tell you of ze Tournament?" she asked. Marie shook her head.

"What Tournament?" She gave huffed, as if she was not too thrown by the lack of information.

"Of course, after ze years she still keeps 'er success to 'erself," she tutted. "Are you aware of ze Triwizard Tournament? Of what it is?" Marie thought for a moment, trying to rack her brain for information. Maybe she had heard it in passing somewhere? A reference in one of her books?

"Maybe?" the Slytherin tried. "I think so, but isn't that from ages ago? I thought it was discontinued?" There was a sneaky glint to her brown eyes as she leaned forward, hands clasped nicely on the table.

"It was. Zey started to bring it back as it was a very popular event, but zey needed a trial to see if it was safe enough to bring back. A Tournament took place during our time at school where Tess and I were two of ze three Champions, ze selected student to represent our school. Tess for 'Ogwarts, and myself for Beauxbaton," she explained. "Ours took place at Durmstrang, the previous victor of ze Tournament. I have not been back since. I cannot stand ze cold."

"I hope you are not putting bad things in your book about Dumstrang, Mei." A low voice rumbled, startling the two. Marie looked up to see a a large man with very broad shoulders towering over them. Despite his fearful voice, a smile could be seen which diffused the alarm the girl first felt. Mei rose from her seat gracefully and hugged the man, looking like a mere breath of a thing next to him.

"I did not know you were 'ere!" gasped Mei. "I thought you were still in Bulgaria?"

His chuckle rumbled again, making Marie smile in response. "I vas here on Quidditch business. Our match is tomorrow, you know. I suspect victory for Bulgaria, of course." He had his own accent, very heavy, but it suited his appearance well.

"That's if they can outscore Ireland," Marie heard herself speak out. The two adults looked at her and she blushed, embarrassed by her outburst. The man's close trimmed beard twitched before he gave a guffaw of a laugh.

"Very true! You are right, I'm afraid. Hopefully Victor Krum vill be fast enough for us." He held out his large paw of a hand and she jumped to her feet before shaking in a proper introduction.

"My name is Aleksander Bolokov," he said. Mei quickly added on to his title.

"And he was ze Champion for Durmstrang during our Tournament."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Bolokov. I'm Marie Rogue," she said, fingers numb from his grip. He looked at her for a moment, stunned. He glanced back at Mei, who nodded to his unasked question.

"You are Tess' daughter then?" he asked. Marie blushed a new shade of pink. People usually addressed her as the Captain's "girl". Daughter was a title she rarely received.

"Yes sir." She couldn't help but notice that he look very sad at the fact. There was a certain way he said the Captain's name. Softer.

"I was just explaining ze Tournament to 'er," informed Mei, smoothing out her deep violet dress. "Tess never told 'er. You know 'ow she is."

He agreed, giving a groan. "Tess vas too modest for her own good. Vas never one for too much focus. Do you remember? Reporters could not get her to talk much." Mei gave a laugh at the memory.

"Yes, and it wasn't a problem since you did all ze talking if I remember," she teased. He waved a hand.

"Ah, vell, I vas arrogant then. Confident."

Marie couldn't help but smile as she listened to the two chat and banter. These were some of Tess' friends, outside of her Marauder group, the beautiful Mei Fang and the burly Aleksander Bolokov. Such differences, it wasn't strange as to why Tess kept in contact. Though it was very odd that Marie never heard of them before. Well, if she really thought about it, she actually didn't know too much about Tess. Her personal life. Any romantic relationships. Had Tess been in love with anyone before?

"Here you are," spoke up Mei, returning her copy now officially signed. "No charge."

"Oh, thank you," she said, looking at the elegant script inside. Aleksander turned his focus to her, making her stand up straighter.

"Are you going to the Vorld Cup?" he asked. She nodded, eyes brightening.

"Absolutely!" He grinned and shook her hand once more.

"Vell then, I vish you luck for your team and apologies vhen Bulgaria is victorious," he teased. She laughed at his jest, holding the book close.

"We'll see about that," she promised.

* * *

**REVIEW!**

**Yes, first chapter is typed! We get a little variety and a blast from Tess' past! So much to do, my head is spinning, yikes!**

**Your input would be lovely, thoughts, opinions on pairings, the usual fun stuff. Please review!**

**The Quidditch World Cup is up next!**

**I hope you enjoy The Goblet of Fire!**


	2. Quidditch World Cup

_**Year Four: The Goblet of Fire**_

_The three magical schools of Europe compete for eternal glory in the form of the Triwizard tournament. Death Eaters are rising, gathering followers to join Voldemort. Dark times are approaching, threatening everything Marie loves. It's time for bravery. To be the light in terrible darkness..._

**Chapter Two-The Quidditch World Cup**

"Draco, wake up already."

The blonde rolled over, tugging the blanket up over his head. There was groan, giving his answer. Marie smirked, already fully dressed. She shook his shoulder again. "Come on, your mum says to get up."

"It's early," he groaned.

"I understand," she laughed. "Up and at 'em, sunshine. World Cup today!" He groaned again, rolling over and finally sitting up to give her a half focused glare. She giggled at the sight of his usually well kept hair sticking up at strange angles, a prominent cowlick standing straight up. He looked her over, noticing that she was completely ready and wide awake, wearing jeans, a green striped shirt and her grey jacket.

"Did you even go to sleep last night?" he asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Yes, of course," she answered. "Maybe not for very long, but I did sleep. Now, get up! Your parents are almost ready to go!" As she left the room she was sure to pull the curtain aside, allowing the early light to brighten the room and to discourage the thought of falling back asleep once she was gone.

Marie was so excited for the match she would've skipped down the stairs if she didn't think she would trip. She walked into the kitchen where Narcissa was cradling a hot cup of tea in her hands. She took a seat, but could only remain still for a few moments before she found herself wandering about, pouring herself a cup of tea that she did not drink.

"Excited, are we?" teased the lady of the house. Marie smiled, guilty.

"A bit," she laughed. There was the sound of footsteps and she perked up, turning to see Lucius and Draco entering the kitchen. Ready to leave, the girl's intentions were put on hold as Narcissa made sure that everyone had something to eat before they left, not wanting anyone to be sick because they Apparated on an empty stomach. The two fourth years quickly ate their food, ready to go. Now that Draco was awake and functional, his own enthusiasm was apparent as they exchanged excited glances while his parents spoke and double checked everything.

They followed the parents out to the lovely back yard where the garden was in full bloom with its red Valerian, and Marie's favorite, 'Goblin' Blanket flowers. Lucius stepped forward and extended his arm to the girl. Familiar with Apparation, she took her place at his side and linked her arm through his, gripping the material of his sleeve tightly with her other hand. She saw Draco take a similar stance beside his mother and with one last breath, Apparation pulled them away from Wiltshire.

* * *

The morning and early afternoon had passed by in a blur of scarlet, emerald and overwhelming excitement. Marie and Draco were linked together as they went to go explore the vast campsite, the wild haired girl leading the way every time something caught her eye. There were hundreds of tents crammed together on the allotted campsite, smoke stacks puffing away from the more elaborate tents. With the help of magic, the interiors were much larger than they appeared so to save room and maintain comfort. Children were running about with fake wands and toy broomsticks while official wizards ran about to try and keep all degrees of magic discreet and to avoid Muggle detection, despite the heavy enchantments that were already in place surrounding the area.

The air was filled with dozens of languages and singing while witches and wizards were dressed in typical Muggle clothing, with little consideration to what items matched. They saw plenty of their classmates while the two were out and about. Pansy Parkinson and her little sister Violet, as well as Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Later they spotted Blaise Zabini and his lovely mother, although they didn't recognize the man with her. They came to the conclusion that it was Ms. Zabini's new husband, the fourth man if they counted correctly. The former husbands had all mysteriously died, leaving the Zabini name more fortune than before.

Finally, the sun was beginning to set and Draco laughed openly at his friend's thrill, having never been to such an extraordinary event. They hurried to meet up with his parents who led the way down the lantern lit path through the woods. Thousands of people were migrating to the large stadium, Marie not the only excited one as the exhilaration was spreading like a fire, the singing only growing in volume and she even found herself humming along. After walking for about twenty minutes or so, chatting pleasantly with her friend and his parents they were suddenly in the shadow of a massive formation that could only be the stadium. It was constructed with gold walls and she couldn't even begin to fathom just how large it was.

"It seats a hundred thousand," answered Mr. Malfoy after seeing her shocked expression.

"A hundred thousand?" she repeated in awe. "My gosh..."

"There's been a task force of five hundred working on it all year. They've been setting up Muggle repelling charms so not to gain any unfavorable attention," he explained. They approached a Ministry witch who was helping direct the flow of people. She gave a nod once she spotted the influential Malfoy.

"Prime seats! Top Box! As high as you can go!" she instructed. With their seats approved the four started their climb up the purple carpeted stairs. Marie's head turned left and right as she watched the other people disappear past their doors on different levels of the stadium, thinning out the crowd the higher they ascended. Finally, the stairs ended and they stood at the edge of a small box that was placed perfectly at the highest point of the stands and centered between the golden posts.

Marie was stunned for a moment by how simply beautiful the Quidditch field looked. The three posts on either side of the field were gleeming with the perfect amount of shine while the vivid grass appeared as though it could be nothing else but velvet. Taking all of it in, she never wanted to just take off and fly so badly. Not to mention that there was some type of gold light encompassing the stadium though she couldn't find any kind of source. Across from them was a giant blackboard at their eye level that had a golden message scrawling across its surface only to vanish and be replaced by another:

_The Bluebottle: A Broom for All the Family-safe, reliable, and with Built-in Anti-Burglar Buzzer...Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover: No Pain, No Stain!...Gladrags Wizardwear-London, Paris, Hogsmeade..._

"Miss Marie, it is nice to see you again," rumbled a low voice. Startled, Marie jumped and turned to face the large form of Aleksander Bolokov who was sporting the proper shade of scarlet for Bulgaria. Once she recovered from her scare, she smiled in return, overly aware of the green rosette pinned to her jacket for Ireland.

"Hello again, Mr. Bolokov," she returned, accepting his offered handshake. "It's nice to see you as well."

"I had no idea you vould be sitting vith us. It is a nice surprise," he smiled, his beard twitching in agreement. Marie grinned, excitement bubbling up again.

"Yes, I'm here with the Malfoy family," she explained gesturing to the three blonde figures. Mr. Malfoy was busy speaking to Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic and Mr. Weasley. Marie hardly the chance to notice the rest of the Weasley children with addition of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger before the Bulgarian warranted her attention again. Aleksander waved over the other man he had arrived with who wore black robes with gold trim, another reference to Bulgaria's team colors. Aleksander lowered his head so whisper a few quick words and Marie was certain she heard Tess' name.

"Marie Rogue, this is Minister Obolensky, Bulgaria's Minister of Magic," he introduced proudly. Flattered and rather embarrassed, Marie shook hands with the Minister as well, his grip not as formidable as Mr. Bolokov's to her relief.

"It is nice to meet you. I have heard many things about your Tess Captain," he stated, mildly mixing up her nickname. The Minister looked to Bolokov for a moment before looking to her again.

"How old are you, Miss Marie? Seventeen?" he guessed. Confused by the question, she gave a sheepish smile.

"Sorry, I'm afraid not. I'm fourteen, sir," she corrected. He gave a huff of disappointment at the news.

"A shame. I vould have liked to see history repeated, perhaps. Vouldn't you, Alek?" he asked with a teasing undertone.

"Perhaps not entirely repeated, Minister. Ve vould like to have the honor of hosting again, don't you agree?" countered Bolokov, a bit sheepish himself. He was quickly quieted when the Minister shushed him as Cornelius Fudge turned his attention their way, Aleksander giving Marie a mischevious wink before facing Britain's Minister of Magic.

"Harry Potter, you know," Fudge told the foreign Minister loudly, gesturing to Harry. "_Harry Potter_...oh come on now, you know who he is...the boy who survived You-Know-Who...you _do_ know who he is-" The Bulgarian wizard noticed Harry's scar and began to gabble loudly and excitedly, pointing at the iconic mark. Marie had to cover her mouth quickly to keep from laughing and ruining their joke. They were pretending not to speak any English so that Fudge was miming like a bit of a fool. Full grown wizards of influential power and status were playing a joke of their fellow Minister.

"Knew we'd get there in the end," sighed Fudge. "Allow me to introduce everyone to Mr. Oblansk-Obalonsk-Mr.-well, he's the Bulgarian Minister of Magic, and he can't understand a word I'm saying anyway, so nevermind. I really need Barty Crouch for this kind of thing, I'm no great shakes at languages I'm afraid."

Marie and the Malfoys continued down the line of purple and gold seats after Lucius and Arthur had spared a moment to formally glare before passing each other. Marie managed the briefest wave to Hermione which was seriptiously returned, proving their good terms. The last time she had spoken to the Gryffindor was at the end of the term where Hermione proved her status as the brightest witch by connecting all of the dots between Marie and Harry. Though she had agreed to keep the information to herself, it was somewhat of a relief to the Slytherin to have a degree of the secrecy lifted. In a way, she was happy that Hermione figured it out.

"Ah, Mathias! Glad you could make it!" spoke up Fudge, extending his hand for the other man to shake. Marie turned at the familiar name to see the Minister shaking hands with a tall, broad shouldered man with short kept dark hair and a stern expression. He was the new Head of the Auror Office, taking over Tess' position after she passed. He had always been next in rank to Tess, giving the pair a healthy competitive relationship in the workplace.

"Wouldn't miss it, Minister," he returned. A few more people arrived and stood beside Mathias, a lovely woman with dark hair twisted into a tight elaborate bun, a young girl with her own hair plaited and the last figure stepped forward as well, the easiest for the Slytherin to recognize.

"Oh! Marcus is here!" she turned to tell Draco who was fiddling with the settings on his Omnioculars. The blonde had to fight a flinch as he looked around his friend to confirm her statement. Indeed, the hulking upperclassman was standing beside his father, superior in height and size due to his genetic make up being receptive to the Flint family troll curse. Due to his curse rearing its ugly head last year and the emotional instability coupled with his poor grades, he was going to repeat his last year at Hogwarts.

Marie gave a wave when his gaze wandered their way and he gave a short wave in response and she smiled. He turned to speak to speak to his mother for a short moment who regarded Marie with an icy look before he stepped away from his family and walked down their aisle, stopping just before Marie. She hopped to her feet to greet him and they both suddenly paused, unsure. She wanted to give him a hug, but was that too much? His mother was certainly giving her a stern glare. She did her best to best to break the awkward silence.

"Care to sit with us, Marcus?" she offered. He made to answer but stopped when he looked past her to the three blondes. Face flushing at her impulsive request, she turned quickly to earn the desired approval.

"I-if that's all right, I mean! Sorry, I should have asked first," she apologized, flustered by her own rude behavior. Narcissa waved a dismissing hand.

"It's fine, Marie. You're welcome to sit with us, Marcus," she confirmed.

"Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy, but it's not needed," he politely declined. His hand rested on Marie's arm, snapping her focus back to him. "The match is about to start, I just wanted to say hello."

"Hello," she greeted, an easy smile appearing.

"Hello," he echoed. He was called for by his younger sister and gave a slight smile in return, going back to his family as Marie settled back into her seat. Draco gave a soft snort, not wanting to earn a reprimand from his mother at the poor form. Marie raised a brow at the blonde boy.

"What're you snorting about?" she asked. He mimcked her expression, looking between her and the Flint heir.

"That was so incredibly awkward," he teased, shaking his head. Cheeks burning again, Marie fumbled for a proper retort.

"Y-you're...so incredibly awkward," she mumbled as Draco fully laughed at her weak insult.

"Come on, Rogue, I've trained you better than that," he mocked. Fortunately, Marie's moment of embarrassment was short lived by Ludo Bagman turning to the Minister of Magic.

"Everyone ready?" he asked, excited as well. "Minister, ready to go?"

"Ready when you are, Ludo," he confirmed, finally finding his seat. Ludo pulled out his wand with great flourish and pointed it at his throat, casting the spell with the enchantment, "_Sonorus!_" His voice became vastly magnified so to boom and be heard throughout the entire stadium.

"Ladies and gentlemen...welcome! Welcome to the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!"

The stadium reverberated with the sound of the fans cheering and clapping, including the two fourth years. Flags were waving throughout the stadium, clashing scarlet and emerald. The large blackboard across from the Top Box was wiped clear of any advertisements and it read, BULGARIA: 0, IRELAND: 0.

"And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce...the Bulgarian National Team Mascots!" The scarlet supporters roared in approval as Marie looked down at the field to see what was going to happen. A hundred figures glided onto the field, confusing Marie with their appearance. They were women, beautiful women to be specific, but something was jilted about them somehow. As if they weren't in focus properly. They were practically luminescent with their perfectly white skin and white-gold hair as they danced about the field. The girl thought they were indeed very pretty but apart from that, she didn't see their appeal. Then they started to dance faster and faster they started to lose their human appearance to her, becoming more creature like.

"Do grab him, Marie dear," instructed Narcissa. Brought out of her thoughts, she noticed that Draco was leaning against the rail of the Top Box, foot prepped so to hop onto the highest point.

"Draco, what on earth are you doing?" she demanded, gripping his arm tightly and directing him back to his seat. The dancers had stopped moving and the crowd was in an outrage that the beautiful women were moving to their side of the field. Her friend seemed dazed as he looked at her, confused by her sudden appearance. "What were you thinking? Climbing the rail like that?"

"It was the veela," explained Mrs. Malfoy, gesturing to the Bulgarian mascots. "Their looks and dance are magical and can entrance any man. It makes men very foolish in their attempts to impress them." Marie was about to ask why Mr. Malfoy didn't do anything but she saw that Narcissa had their arms linked tightly so that was acting as a proper tether and her husband couldn't go making a fool of himself.

"Oh, well, that's certainly interesting," she commented. She copied Mrs. Malfoy and linked her arm with Draco's, just in case he felt like swan diving again.

"What happened?" he asked, finally gathering his bearings. Marie patted his hand sympathetically.

"It's all right. You were just trying to impress a pretty girl," she teased. He only stared, confused by her words and they turned their focus to the field again.

"And now," roared Bagman's magicked voice, "kindly put your wands in the air...for the Irish National Team Mascots!"

A dazzling gold and green comet zipped about the stadium once before spliting into two and heading foor the goal posts, a rainbow arch connecting the two brilliants spheres of light. Marie awed openly with the crowd, far more impressed with the Irish show rather than Bulgaria's. The rainbow faded and the two sources of light became one again, merging so to become a giant green shamrock that shimmered as it rose high into the air. Next it began to soar over the stands and it looked like gold dust was trailing behind. It wasn't until she could hear the connecting pieces and being hit on the head herself for her to see that it was raining gold coins. Grabbing her own Omniocuulars, she focused on the shamrock to see that it was composed of hundreds, maybe thousands, of little bearded men with red vests, each hold a minuscule lamp of gold or green.

"Leprechauns!" chirped Marie. "My gosh, they're leprechauns!" Her words were lost over the thunderous applause the Ireland Mascots received as they took their place on the opposite side of the field.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, kindly welcome-the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team! I give you-Dimitrov!" The figure was nothing but a crimson blur as he shot out onto the field to a roaring applause from the Bulgarian fans.

"Ivanova! Zograf! Levski! Vulchanov! Aaaaaand-_Krum_!"

"That's him!" pointed out Draco, who was sporting his own Bulgarian rosette "Viktor Krum, youngest player in National Quidditch, youngest ever to be in the World Cup!"

"And now, please greet-the Irish National Quidditch Team!" yelled Ludo. "Presenting-Connolly! Ryan! Troy! Mullet! Moran! Quigley! Aaaaaaand-_Lynch_!" This time Marie cheered loudly as the seven green blurs raced around the stadium, difficult to follow with their high level speeds.

"And here, all the way from Egypt, our referee, acclaimed Chairwizard of the International Association of Quidditch, Hassan Mostafa!" A wisp of a dark skinned man stepped onto the field, completely bald headed but it was made up for by his substantial grey mustache. He had his broomstick under one arm and a wooden crate under the other. He mounted his broom and kicked the crate open and the four balls took off into the air and he gave a blast on his whistle and the game had begun.

"Theeeeeeeey're OFF!" screamed Bagman, adding to the thrill of the match. "And it's Mullet! Troy! Morgan! Dimitrov! Back to Mullet! Troy! Levski! Moran!"

It was almost impossible to keep up with the plays, Marie was very surprised how well Ludo Bagman could do so, even if it was just saying their names, it was all the time he had. Marie had tried to watch the plays at a slower rate with her Omnioculars and so that she could read the names of their plays, but then it put her so far behind in regards to the actual game she simply gave up and did her best to keep up.

"TROY SCORES!" roared Ludo. "Ten-zero to Ireland!" The girl gave a cheer as Troy did a victory lap around the stadium, nothing but a smear of green. Adrenaline flooded Marie as she continued to watch the Ireland Chasers with admiration and awe. They were the perfect team, seemlessly working together as a unit and they had scored twice more just under ten minutes making the score thirty-zero to Ireland.

Just as it always did with Quidditch, the game became more brutal. The Bulgarian Beaters, Volkov and Vulchanov, were terrifying with their ability as they were starting to slow down the Troy-Mullet-Moran combination, effectively blocking them from using their best moves and even forcing them to scatter to avoid a Bludger rocketing their way. Then Ivanova managed to break through, dodge Ireland's Keeper, Ryan, and score Bulgaria's first goal. Thirty-ten.

"Dimitrov! Levski! Dimitrov! Ivanova-oh I say!"

The entire stadium of one hundred thousand people gasped as the two Seekers dived through the mess of Chasers, heading straight for the ground at alarming speeds. They both looked as if they were on a one way ticket to the very hard ground. At the absolutely last second, Krum was able to pull up and spiral away from the ground, while Marie gave a shriek and dropped her Omnioculars as Lynch hit the ground so loud the connection could be heard throughout the stadium.

"It's time-out!" called Bagman. "As trained mediwizards hurry onto the field to examine Aiden Lynch!"

"Oh my stars, I hope he's all right!" fretted Marie. Draco pointed up at Krum who was above everyone, taking the moment to look for the Snitch without any interference, the blonde explained.

Once Lynch was revived, Ireland's motivation seem to go through the roof. If she thought the Chasers were formidable before, they were unstoppable now. Fifteen minutes later Ireland had scored ten more goals, making the score one hundred thirty to ten. The game was becoming incredibly fierce, especially after the mascots started to edge each other on. The leprechauns formed the words "HA, HA, HA!" and the veela started to dance, pulling the referee himself into a daze. He started to flex his muscles and smooth his mustache.

"Now, we can't have that!" sounded Bagman, although very amused. "Somebody slap the referee!"

A mediwizard came running across the field, his own fingers in his ears and he gave Mostafa a good kick in the shin. The poor referee looked properly embarrassed and started to shout at the veela who had stopped dancing and they looked angry.

"And unless I'm much mistaken, Mostafa is actually attempting to send off the Bulgarian team mascots!" narrated Bagman. "Now _there's_ something we haven't seen before...Oh this could turn nasty..." He was very right. The Bulgarian Beaters, Volkov and Vulchanov, dismounted from their brooms and started to argue furiously with the referee, trying to split the blame with the leprechauns that were now forming the words "HEE, HEE, HEE!" Mostafa was not impressed and he was pointing up at the air, which meant that they better get back on their brooms or there would be trouble. They didn't mind his warning and he gave two blasts on his whistle.

"_Two_ penalities for Ireland!" shouted Bagman while the Bulgarian side booed. "And Volkov and Vulchanov had better get back on those brooms...yes...there they go...and Troy takes the Quaffle..."

Marie was thankful that she wasn't on the field playing, not with the way those Bulgarian Beaters were hitting, clubs cracking against Bludgers or anyone who dared to get too close. Dimitrov then shot straight at Moran, who was in possession of the Quaffle, and nearly knoncked her off her broom.

"_Foul_!" called Marie and the other Irish supporters.

"Foul!" confirmed Bagman. "Dimitrov skins Moran-deliberately flying to collide there-and it's got to be be another penalty-yes, there's the whistle!" This time the leprechauns merged to form a very rude hand gesture to the veela who had enough of the Irish antics. Their once beautiful faces morphed to long sharp beaks with talon nails, wings bursting from their backs as they started to throw handfuls of fire at the leprechauns. While the mascots fought, the match continued on.

"Levski-Dimitrov-Moran-Troy-Mullet-Ivanova-Moran again-Moran-MORAN SCORES!" While Ministry members tried to seperate the veela and leprechauns, the Irish Beater Quigley swung as hard as he could at the nearby Bludger, sending flying straight at Krum who did not duck in time. Marie yelped again at the dark sphere crashed directly into his face. His nose was obviously broken and blood was everywhere but the referee didn't call anything as a nearby veela had set the tail of his broom on fire.

"Aren't they going to call anything?" asked Draco. "He's a mess!"

Marie gasped, pointing at Lynch. "Wait-look!"

The Ireland Seeker had gone into a spectacular dive, no tricks, he had his eyes set on the Snitch and Krum was close behind, no mind to his nose that was bleeding freely. He was even with him now, the pair hurtling toward the ground once again, the end of the match in sight if one of them could manage to grab the golden Snitch.

"They'll crash!"

"No, they won't!" countered Draco.

"Lynch will!" And Marie was right, unfortunately, for the second time that game, Aiden Lynch connected with the hard ground with tremendous force.

"But what about the Snitch?" asked Draco, Omnioculars up to his eyes as he zoomed in on the scene. Gasping sharply, she tugged on his sleeve and pointed at the scoreboard across from them.

BULAGARIA: 160, IRELAND: 170

"IRELAND WINS!" Bagman shouted to the stunned audience. It only took a moment for the Irish fans to rumble and then belt out in cheers. "KRUM GETS THE SNITCH-BUT IRELAND WINS-good lord, I don't think any of us were expecting that!"

In the midst of the cheering, Marie glanced back to Aleksander Bolokov who gave her a nod due to her winning team. Cornelius Fudge could then be heard, talking with Mr. Obolensky.

"Vell, ve fought bravely," he admitted. Fudge looked completely stunned.

"You can speak English!" he said, sounding close to outraged. "And you've been letting me mime everything all day!"

Mr. Obolensky shrugged, trying not to smirk. "Vell, it vos very funny."

The stadium seemed to rise in noise as the Irish team came into the Top Box to claim their vast golden cup that was so very dazzling, Lynch being supported by Connolley as he was very dazed, the second hit really taking a toll on him. Noise rebounded against the golden walls of the stadium as Ireland took their victory lap, basking in their well deserved glory. Marie joined, her voice lost in the multitude of sound, celebrating her team's well deserved victory.

"Ireland wins the Quidditch World Cup!"

* * *

**REVIEW! Your thoughts would be lovely as always, my readers! And my Tumblr address is on my profile if anyone wants to follow, I follow back, I tend to reblog a lot when I get specific ideas so it may provide certain insight for what is to come, mwahaahahaa ; )**

**Ahhh! Quidditch is always so exciting to write about! I understand we all know what happens, but its still fun!**

**Some repeating characters, hints at how Tess' run in the Tournament went, the thrill of the World Cup!**

**Next Time: The Dark Mark appears! Oh no!**

**I hope you enjoyed!**

**(ps: the song I See Fire by Ed Sheeran is super good, if anyone's interested)**


	3. Morsmordre

_**Year Four: The Goblet of Fire**_

_The three magical schools of Europe compete for eternal glory in the form of the Triwizard tournament. Death Eaters are rising, gathering followers to join Voldemort. Dark times are approaching, threatening everything Marie loves. It's time for bravery. To be the light in terrible darkness..._

**Chapter Three-Morsmordre**

The campsite was alight with green fireworks and celebration. The Irish supporters were belting out their songs of victory well into the night, voices carrying throughout the grounds. Leprechauns kept dashing about with the glowing lanterns as they cackled in glee with their win. Of course no one felt like sleeping with all the noise going on around them, it was almost impossible. Marie and Draco stayed up talking around their magicked campfire, playfully debating about their teams and plays that were used while drinking hot chocolate. Narcissa had insisted on a few photos as well, declaring that they simply didn't have enough informal pictures of the family when Lucius gave a groan. Marie and Draco leaned in to take the photo, the blonde smirking and the girl smiling broadly. Marie then offered to take one of the Malfoys, all three blondes gathered by the fire as she pressed down on the button to capture the moment.

Honestly, she couldn't remember falling asleep, the memory a drowsy blur. She did, however, remember waking up in the dead of night. The bunk bed she was sharing with Draco squeaked sharply and she jolted awake, looking around to find the source of noise. The blonde boy was changed and tying his shoes, shoving his hair back after he grabbed his jacket.

"What're y'doin'?" mumbled Marie, rubbing her eyes clear. He flinched, caught in the act.

"Go back to sleep, Marie," he shushed, creeping toward the door. Blankets were rumpled as she tossed them off, swinging her feet over the edge.

"Draco, what are you doing?" she asked more clearly this time. "Why're you dressed? Where do you think you're going?" He huffed, looking back to make sure that his mother was still asleep and he whispered sternly,

"Just go back to sleep, Marie. I'll be right back." On that note, he disappeared outside. Not about to settle for such an answer, Marie quickly tugged on her shoes and pulled on her jacket over her night gown. Equally quiet, she rushed out of the tent to follow the boy.

"Draco!" she called once she was a fair distance from their tent. Her messy hair whipped as she looked about for her friend. His trademark hair should have been relatively easy to spot even in the dark but she saw no such blonde. Where had he gone?

The further she traveled in the woods it became more obvious that something was very wrong. There were a few dying fires scattered about and her skin started to crawl, the feeling of dread overwhelming. Suddenly there was a blast of magic sounding off like canon, making Marie jump in surprise. She looked from left to right, trying to find the source as multiple tents started to fall, catch fire and people filled the grounds in attempts to run away.

Then the screaming started.

The green light covered the area and gave the ground an eerie feel but it did provide enough illumination for the girl to see the group of hooded figures moving together, wands held high. There was a family floating overhead, bodies rotating and bending into grotesque shapes. The figures were laughing as more joined their group. Feeling sick, Marie's panic started to rise as she did her best to continue looking for her friend.

"Draco!" she called loudly. "Draco, where are you!"

Her voice was lost in the confusion, people pushing past her, shoving her aside if she was in their way. Next came the magic directed at the mass of people trying to evacuate. Flashes of colored light flew past the girl as she ducked, covering her head to avoid being hit. Her heart pounded rapidly within her chest as nearby people were pulled up into the air as well. The screaming only grew louder and she could feel tears prick at her eyes as her own fear increased, her determined feet leading her closer to the mayhem in order to collect her friend and bring him back. Reaching into her coat, she drew her wand, ignoring the underaged magic restriction that was in play while they were out of school. In a stressful and potentially dangerous situation, her safety came first.

"Draco!" she called, her voice cracking in fright. She dashed past the oncoming group of people, stumbling to a halt to avoid stepping into a dying campfire, wildly looking about. Now she was confused as to where she was, looking backwards she couldn't find where she had come from or how to return to the Malfoy tent for that matter. Breathing hard, she kept running about seeing as that seemed better than simply standing still, waiting to be caught by the hooded wizards.

"Draco!" she even tried calling for the boy's father. "Mr. Malfoy!"

She thought she saw a flash of long blonde hair and she followed, chasing the flicker in the hope it was Lucius so that he could call for his son and take them back to their tent. Rounding a plot of tents, she skidded to a stop when she became face to face with a group of shrouded figures. Eyes wide and forgetting how to breathe, one person raised their wand to target her, the end glowing red triggering her adrenaline to jump to new heights, flooding her system. Before the spell could be cast, the wand was blasted from their hand and Marie wasted no time in running away, not bothering to look back and thus oblivious to the fact that another masked person had stopped the attacker.

Then there was a sudden eruption of magic, a spell shooting high into the air. A symbol took over the dark sky and it was vast, glittering green and Marie felt the remaining color leave her face as she stared up in horror. How many times had she seen the very icon stamped on Tess' work files? To see it in person was a terrifying sensation, fear coursing throughout her body. She had to get back to the tent so to get away from it. As far away as she could.

The Dark Mark. A skull with a serpent tongue protruding from its mouth. You-Know-Who's 's calling card. It meant Voldemort, and he meant death.

The screaming only reached a new level of sound as the panic increased ten fold, Marie clamping her hands over her ears to try and mute the sound, doing her best not to scream as well. Just as she had turned around she was promptly tackled the ground by an incredible force, missing the blast of red light that had been sent in her direction. Her head had hit the ground hard, stars dotting her vision as she struggled to focus on the person pinning her down.

"Marie!" the person shouted to be heard over the noise. "What the bloody hell are you doing? I told you stay in the tent!" After blinking numerous times to focus on the person, she was able to notice the distinct blonde hair and the face of her friend. The very one that had her out in the chaos to begin with.

"Draco!" she gasped. He pulled them to their feet, gripped her hand tightly and took off further into the woods as the Ministry officials hurried past, trying to track down the mysterious figures that had scattered once the Dark Mark stained the sky. They ran through the woods, her gown catching on bushes and snagging on rough edges of tree bark, both breathing hard as Draco led them to their tent, fortunately, he able to remember the route unlike the wild haired girl. A few adrenaline fueled moments later, they barged into their tent and doubled over to gasp for air. Marie was the first to stand back up straight as she turned to face the boy fully, her distress easily conveyed across her features.

"Draco Malfoy!" she scolded in between breaths. "You...you reckless-! Overconfident-! Jerk-!" She couldn't even finish her lecture, struggling to find words and she settled for swatting him sharply after each insult.

"Ouch! Marie-!" His cry of pain was quieted as she threw her arms around his neck so to pull him into a tight hug, their difference in height obvious now. With a heavy sigh, he returned the embrace, feeling her shake from previous fear and his hold tightened.

"I couldn't find you," she whispered, hiding her face in his shoulder. "I couldn't find you...!"

"It's all right," he reassured, guilt starting to worm its way into his chest. "I...I'm right here."

They both froze when the glow of wand light was upon them and they slowly turned to see Narcissa Malfoy, sporting a positively frightening look in her sharp blue eyes that clearly stated that they were in trouble. So much trouble.

"Now, just which one of you would care to explain where you've been?"

The teenagers exchanged worried glances.

* * *

September first was a gloomy grey day the sky thick with clouds, pouring every ounce of rain down on King's Cross station. Quickly, they passed the barrier onto Platform 9 and 3/4 and loaded up their trunks in a timely fashion. As the minute hand of the clock ticked closer to eleven o'clock, the precise moment when the Hogwarts Express would pull away from the station, the two students returned to the leaders of the Malfoy family. A week had passed since the Quidditch World Cup incident, still playing the front page of the _Daily Prophet_ at every opportunity, but at least Mrs. Malfoy seemed to calm down after the thoughtless stunt the two fourth years had pulled by running off into the trouble. Narcissa pulled her son into an embrace, kissing his cheek and Marie settled for standing beside Lucius, not wanting to feel too awkward.

"Do you think you'll be able to keep out of trouble this year, Marie?" asked Lucius, a faint teasing tone. Marie giggled at the fair concern.

"I can't promise anything, Mr. Malfoy. I don't think you're aware as to how acquainted trouble and I are," she teased in return. She saw him smirk at her banter, her spirits rising with his unspoken approval.

"Well, it's going to be a busy year," he warned. "Try not to be too overwhelmed."

She smiled. "I'll try my best." Narcissa then pulled the girl into a formal hug as well, the action a little stiff but well meant. Waving good bye, she and Draco stepped aboard the train in order to find an empty compartment or their friends, whichever happened first.

The train pulled away from the station at exactly eleven and the windows became coated with the heavy rain instantly. While they were looking around for a place to sit or even their Housemates, they met up with Blaise and the boys started up a conversation about the other wizarding school, Durmstrang. Their conversation faded away once Marie spotted an all too familiar trio with their compartment door open. Slowing down, the two boys didn't seem to notice her absence and she took a quick breath to call up her courage as she tapped politely on their door. She could feel her cheeks color lightly as all three sets of eyes focused on her. She gave a small wave.

"Hello," she greeted softly. "H-have a good holiday?" She could do this. She could talk to them if she so wanted. It was all right. After the Sirius Black incident, Hermione being privy to her secret, it could be all right to talk to them, couldn't it? Maybe it would make keeping the secret easier, not to mention help her keep an eye on Harry, an equal magnet for trouble if not more so. She could only hope.

An awkward beat passed before Hermione encouraged the conversation, giving the Slytherin girl a smile.

"Yes, we did." She scooted over, nudging Ron to move and she patted the seat beside her. "Have a seat, Marie. How was your summer?"

"It was pleasant, thanks." The boys were still watching her carefully, Ron as if he expected her to grow fangs. He still didn't trust her as far as he could throw her. She took a breath, calling on the next topic they had in common.

"What did you all think of the World Cup? Exciting, wasn't it?" As soon as the topic was brought up and it was clear that she was cheering for Ireland, all of the metaphorical ice had shattered, allowing the three Quidditch enthusiasts to delve into high spirited chatter.

"Did you see Ireland's Chasers-"

"-How could you, they were all so fast!"

"Then the Wronski Feint! Krum was brilliant!"

"It was so dangerous and poor Lynch!"

"But they came back, what was it-ten goals in ten minutes?"

"Something like that, it was beyond impressive-"

"-And Quigley sent that Bludger at Krum-"

"-He took it straight to the face! I couldn't believe he could still play!"

"And even catch the Snitch after that! I'm telling you, Krum's the best there is!"

As Ron busied himself with looking through his bag for his Viktor Krum figurine, Marie noticed that Hermione had opened her textbook _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4_, not as invested in the risky sport conversation as the other three. Deciding to try her luck at starting another conversation, Marie picked a subject that would be a common ground for the two.

"Hermione, are you taking Muggle Studies this year?" she asked. Brown eyes looked up from the page on Summoning Charms, appreciative of the change in topic.

"Yes, I'm still taking it. Are you?" She nodded, eyes brightening and Hermione gave a short laugh at the dark haired girl's enthusiasm for the subject. The Gryffindor could recall how the Slytherin had been positively floored by the concept of electricity, asking her fellow classmate numerous questions after class.

"Excellent! It's simply fascinating what Muggles can do without any magic," she swooned, excited for their future class. "Do you think we'll have the same class again? It'd be great if we can sit together!"

"I certainly hope so," she agreed.

Feeling as if her time was up and not wanting to overstay her welcome, Marie said good bye and left the Gryffindor compartment on pleasant enough terms. She made her way down the hall and looking about for her own friends, Millicent Bulstrode and Pansy Parkinson, fellow Slytherin fourth years. Side stepping a couple of younger students, the girl looked up to catch sight of a familiar figure sitting alone in a compartment. Smiling brightly, Marie knocked on the glass before sliding the door open.

"Hello, Marcus!" she chirped.

The over sized wizard looked up at the arrival of the girl, surprised that someone was freely speaking to him, but a slight smile pulled at his mouth when he looked at her. Of course, Marie had no qualms talking with the brute older student. Never really did, even before the family curse kicked in. He had yet to tell if it was a sign of kindness or naivety. His guess was both.

"'Ello, Marie," he returned. "How're you?"

"Good, and yourself?"

He gave a strained smirk. He was on the Hogwarts Express for his eighth year of school due to him failing his last term. His mother still looked at him with open revulsion while his father was swamped with Ministry work so he was always gone, and Vivienne, his little sister, was simply confused by him and the warped tension that was ever growing between him and his own mother. Strange looks followed him in public because his physicality was jilted somehow, abnormal to some degree but not entirely clear and it made people stare.

_"You're not a monster, Marcus Flint. I've seen true monsters, ugly and beautiful. Trust me, I've seen worse."_

"I'm fine," he managed. "Just fine." The younger student raised an unconvinced eyebrow and she glanced about the empty compartment.

"Is anyone sitting with you?" He shook his head, giving a small sigh.

"No, it's just me." She paused for a thoughtful moment before she gave another smile.

"Do you mind if I sit with you then?"

A derisive snort sounded at the suggestion. "You want to sit with me?"

"Yes. That would be why I offered," she clarified. "Do you not want me to?"

Marcus gave a shrug. "It's just not many people would want to sit with me."

"Well, you don't bite, so I really don't see the problem," she explained, removing her messenger bag from her shoulder. The compartment door closed behind her just as Draco strode past with Crabbe and Goyle in tow. Off to stir some kind of trouble, most likely. There was a brief silence and she looked back at the seventh year quickly, freezing in her tracks.

"You _don't _bite, do you?" It took him an extra moment to get over the surprise of such a concern and then for him to hear her joking undertone. His laugh was pleasantly loud as she took the seat beside him, smiling in return.

"No. Can't say I do," he promised.

"Good to hear," she giggled. The rain was coming down in sheets, making it almost impossible to properly look out the window and all was grey and gloomy, lightning splitting across the sky. Their compartment, on other hand, seemed a bit brighter.

* * *

**REVIEW! Your reviews would be lovely as always, my lovely readers! Ideas, thoughts on pairings, Yule Ball and all the fun we get this book!**

**Sorry if it's a little short but we have all the Triwizard stuff coming up and that would have seriously blown this chapter up, so I figured a little drama with the Dark Mark and some nice-ness with the Hogwarts Express seemed fair, and within a reasonable time frame! **

**And oh my gosh guys, I was going through my copy of GoF and I was reading the last few chapters and everything just hit me, seriously visualizing what kind of Potter-riffic awesome drama is going to go down at the close of GoF. So excited! Though I should probably write my way to the end first, huh? Getting a little bit ahead of myself lol**

**Next time: The Triwizard Tournament/Mad-Eye Moody and everything in between!**

**Enjoy!**


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